What do pop-ups, playful giant handbags, and hyperlocal partnerships have in common?

They’re not stunts. They’re strategy.

Recorded LIVE at the Brand Advocacy Summit: London, this is the second of four exclusive episodes – straight from the stage.

Verity & Paul sit down with Pascale Montaner (VP of Global Marketing @ Kurt Geiger) and Louisa O’Connor (Managing Director @ Seen Presents) to dig into why the smartest brands are leaning hard into the experience-driven economy.

From transforming storefronts into storytelling tools, to building activations that speak louder than any ad ever could, this is the recipe for building real connection, loyalty, and long-term Advocacy.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why We Crave IRL Connection & What Brands Must Do to Earn It: Digital fatigue is real. With 80% of Gen Z reporting loneliness, brands that build real-world spaces of belonging – not just spectacle – are winning attention and loyalty.
  

• How Pop-Ups, Sensory Design & Surprise Drive Advocacy: From stained-glass storefronts to surprise bagel drops, today's most successful brand experiences engage all the senses (as per Louisa’s expert experience); and give people stories worth telling.
  

• Why Customers, Not Celebrities, Are the New Influencers: Kurt Geiger's approach is clear – invite your true brand fans in. They're more trusted, more loyal, and often more impactful than the biggest names on your PR list.
  

• How to Build Experiences That Translate Online (and Why That Matters): In a social-first world, IRL can feel like it matters most when it makes it to the feed. Learn how top brands are creating moments that live beyond the moment, without losing authenticity.
  

• The One Mistake Most Brands Make With Experience: Spoiler: it’s trying to please everyone. The result? Experiences that resonate with no one. Find out how to focus your intent and create memory-making moments that actually move people.
  

This isn’t about trend-chasing. It’s about experience as the new foundation of brand strategy.

This episode comes to you in partnership with Seen Presents; a global agency creating culturally resonant brand experiences & experiential campaigns. Designed to deliver impact, innovation, and lasting brand fame.

Learn more about the magic they’re making here: https://www.seenpresents.com/

Chapters

00:00 – Why Brand Experience Is the Strategy Now

02:39 – Loneliness, Digital Overload & the Rise of IRL Belonging

04:59 – From Elitism to Inclusion: Democratising Brand Events

07:17 – Trust, TikTok & the Rise of the Authentic Ambassador

09:12 – Building Sensory-First Experiences That Convert

11:05 – Turning Retail Into Storytelling: Inside Kurt Geiger’s Flagship Strategy

15:04 – Pop-Ups, Scale & Global Adaptation on a Budget

18:45 – Using Social to Amplify (Not Replace) Experience

20:14 – How to Make Your Digital Brand Tangible

22:08 – The Biggest Mistake Brands Make With Experiences

23:43 – Why Local Beats Luxury: Cultural Relevance Over Budget

25:20 – Getting Buy-In: How to Prove the ROI of Experience

28:50 – What Brands Overlook When Designing for Emotion

30:17 – When Experience Goes Wrong (& What to Do About It)

31:46 – The Role of AI in Accessibility & Personalisation

Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Connect with Pascale & Louisa:

On Pascale’s LinkedIn

On Louisa’s LinkedIn